Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a post-processing apparatus for binding a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets and an image forming system comprising the post-processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an optional device for the image forming apparatus, a sheet processing apparatus which receives sheets delivered from the image forming apparatus and performs stapling post processing on the sheet bundle received (post-processing apparatus) is commonly used. Further, some of the sheet processing apparatuses of this kind include functions such as an online stapling function, which is automatically executed as a part of a print job, and a manual stapling function, through which a user manually inserts a sheet bundle into an opening which is open outside the apparatus and performs stapling processing on the sheet bundle. In such a sheet processing apparatus, in addition to the online stapling function, it is required to have the manual stapling function as an additional function and reduce cost needed to manufacture the sheet processing apparatus body.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-018932 discloses a sheet post-processing device, in which a stapling device is configured to be movable to a first position where online stapling processing is performed and to a second position where manual stapling processing is performed. As a result, one stapler device, which is expensive, can commonly be used both in an online stapling function and in a manual stapling function. This enables to reduce manufacturing cost of the sheet processing apparatus body and provide an additional value to a user.
On the other hand, the sheet post-processing device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-018932 does not optimize user's waiting time caused when selectively using the manual stapling function and the online stapling function which accompanies a print job, which is a problem. It is noted that the print job which uses the online stapling function is hereinafter referred to as an online stapling job. For example, in the conventional apparatus, when an instruction to execute the online stapling job is received, the stapler device is moved to the online stapling position. Thereby, if an instruction to execute manual stapling is received while the online stapling job is being executed, the time period for the stapler device to move from an online stapling position to a manual stapling position is required. That is, in a case where the time period for executing the manual stapling including the time period for movement is longer than the time period to an online stapling operation which is next executed, waiting time is caused in either the online stapling job or the manual stapling.
Further, in a case where the execution of the online stapling job is prioritized, the waiting time is caused for the user of the manual stapling. On the other hand, in a case where an immediate execution of the manual stapling is prioritized, completion of the online stapling job will be late. As mentioned, it is preferable that the time period required to execute the manual stapling including the time period for movement of the stapling device is as short as possible.